Sofa-bed.



No. 723,171. I PATENTEDMAR. 17, 1903.

J. MAHER.

SOFA BED. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1902. no MODEL. z snnnTs-snsm '1,

WITNESSES INV'ENTUH n/Olfn/ A/lifi-E mam 5.5 [hf 1% HTTUHNEY ATENT FFICE.

JOHN MAHER, OF MEDINA, NEW YORK.

soFA- BED.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters'I atent N 0. 723,171, dated March 17, 1903. Application filed November 14, 1902'. Serial No. 131,335. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medina, inthe county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sofa-Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates -to improvements in that class of furniture known as sofa-beds}? its object being to provide simple and reliable means for quickly and easily converting the sofa into a bed and for transforming the bed back into its former condition as a sofa.

To that end my invention consists of a carrying-frame, a seat-frame hinged to the carrying-frame, a back-frame hinged-to the seatframe, spring-controlled catches pivoted to the seat-frame, adapted for engagement with the spring-controlled catches to hold the backframe in an upright position, and means for throwing the spring-controlled catches out of engagement with the shoulders on the backframe to permit the back-frame to lie' in a horizontal position.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the different frames, illustrating the sofa arrangement. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the bed arrangement, and Fig.3 is a sectional detail taken in line 0000 of Fig. 2;

Referringto the drawings, 1 is the carryingframe, having the end panels 2 2 and sofaarms 3 3.

4 is the seat-frame, having its rear end corners hinged to the inner faces of the end panels 2 2 of the carrying-frame, as clearly shown at 5 in Fig. 1. This arrangement permits of the seat-frame being swung intoan upright position, for a purpose which willmore clearly hereinafter appear.

6 is the back-frame, which is hinged, as at 7, to the seat-frame 4. 8 represents the catches, pivoted at 9 to each end of the seatframe 4 and connected at their 'rear free ends by springs 10 (see Fig. 3) to the end panels 2.

p The ends of a cord 11 are secured to the springcontrolled catches 8 8. This cord passes through the two retaining-loops 12 12 on the under side of the front of the seat-frame and has the handle 13 secured thereto between the retaining-loops 12 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

l4 respresents shoulders upon the backframe, adapted for holding engagement with the spring-controlled catches 8. Each shoulder has upon its engaging end a notch 15.

16 16 are pivoted legs for holding the backframe in a horizontal position when lowered.

In operation when it is desired to convert the sofa into a bed the seat-frame is grasped at its front edge and thrown up into an upright or vertical position, which operation simultaneously carries the back-frame of the sofa into a horizontal position. The legs 16 16 are turned down to support the now horizontal back-frame upon the floor. The handle 13, underneath the seat-frame before it is raised, is now in an easily-accessible position,

where it can be given a sharp pull, and the connected cord 11 will throw the pivoted catches 8 8 out of engagement with the shoulders 14 14 0n the back-frame, which releases the seat-frame and enables it to be thrown back into its former horizontal position, thus converting the sofa into a bed. The stops 17 upon the seat-frame limit the inward play of the pivoted catches. In this position the pivoted catches 8 8 are held against the sides of the shoulders 14 14 by the springs 10. (See Fig. 3.) To reoonvert the bed into a sofa, it is only necessary to swing the back-frame up into a vertical position. As soon as this position is assumed, the shoulders 14 14, rising clear of the catches 8 8, permit the catches under the action of their attached springs to be again thrown into engagement with the shoulders, and thus hold the back-frame in its upright position, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that with my improved construction the necessary operative parts are reduced to a minimum, andtheir action is thus rendered positive and reliable. Then, too, the mechanism for operating the springcontrolled catches is entirely out of sight, which greatly improves the appearance of my sofa-bed.

I claim- A sofa-bed comprising a carrying-frame, a seat-frame hinged to the carrying-frame, a back-frame hinged to the seat-frame, springcontrolled catches pivoted to the seat-frame, shoulders on the back-frame adapted for engagement with the spring-controlled catches, to hold the back-frame in an upright position, and means for throwing the spring-controlled catches out of engagement with the'shoulders IO on the back-frame to permit the back-frame to lie in a horizontal position, all combined and operating as and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN MAHER.

Witnesses:

AUGUST F. HANDWERK, W. T. MILLER. 

